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[[Image:Aureus Macrinus-RIC 0079.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Aureus]] issued under [[Macrinus]]: he and his son [[Diadumenianus]] are depicted as providing for the people as Liberalitas embodied stands by, with a legend reading <small>LIBERALITAS AUG</small>[<small>USTORUM</small>])]]
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[[Image:Aureus Macrinus-RIC 0079.jpg|thumb|300px|This [[aureus]] by [[Macrinus]] celebrates Macrinus and his son [[Diadumenianus]], as well as and their prodigality (<small>LIBERALITAS AUG</small>[<small>USTORUM</small>]). They are depicted in the act of providing for the Romans.]]
In [[ancient Roman culture]], '''''liberalitas''''' was the virtue of giving freely (from ''liber'', "free"), hence generosity. On coins, a political leader of the [[Roman Republic]] or an [[Roman emperor|emperor]] of the [[Roman Empire|Imperial era]] might be depicted as displaying largess to the Roman people, with ''liberalitas'' embodied as a goddess at his side.<ref>[[J. Rufus Fears]], "The Cult of Virtues and Roman Imperial Ideology," ''Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt'' II.17.2 (1981), p. 846.</ref> The goddess '''Liberalitas''' appears on coinage issued under the emperors [[Trajan]], [[Antoninus Pius]]<ref>Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 903.</ref> and [[Septimius Severus]],<ref>Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 904.</ref> sometimes designated as [[List of Roman deities#Augustus and Augusta|''Augusta'' or ''Augusti'']] in association with [[Imperial cult (ancient Rome)|Imperial cult]]. On one example, a Roman holds out his [[toga]] to receive coins poured by Liberalitas, as Antoninus looks on from an elevated seat.<ref>Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 906.</ref>
In [[Roman mythology]], '''Liberalitas''' was the personification (or Goddess) of generosity.

The divine Virtues are sometimes associated with a particular activity or function performed by the emperor—in the case of Liberalitas, the ''[[congiarium]]'' or giving of gifts by the emperor directly to individuals.<ref>Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 913.</ref> The enacting of the particular virtue was considered an [[theophany|epiphany]] of the goddess or ''[[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#miraculum|miraculum]]'': Liberalitas was thought to have manifested herself when Trajan distributed cash gifts to the populace during his formal arrival ceremony ''([[Adventus (ceremony)|adventus]])'' in 99 AD.<ref>Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," pp. 914–916.</ref> [[Pliny the Younger|Pliny]] names the quality of ''liberalitas'' in his ''[[Panegyric]]'' to Trajan.<ref>Pliny, ''Panegyric'' 26–28; Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," pp. 916, 920.</ref>

Liberalitas was theologically linked to [[Providentia]], "providence", and [[Annona]], the embodiment of the [[grain supply to the city of Rome|grain supply]].<ref>Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 922.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}


[[Category:Roman goddesses]]
[[Category:Roman goddesses]]

Revision as of 21:28, 11 August 2013

Aureus issued under Macrinus: he and his son Diadumenianus are depicted as providing for the people as Liberalitas embodied stands by, with a legend reading LIBERALITAS AUG[USTORUM])

In ancient Roman culture, liberalitas was the virtue of giving freely (from liber, "free"), hence generosity. On coins, a political leader of the Roman Republic or an emperor of the Imperial era might be depicted as displaying largess to the Roman people, with liberalitas embodied as a goddess at his side.[1] The goddess Liberalitas appears on coinage issued under the emperors Trajan, Antoninus Pius[2] and Septimius Severus,[3] sometimes designated as Augusta or Augusti in association with Imperial cult. On one example, a Roman holds out his toga to receive coins poured by Liberalitas, as Antoninus looks on from an elevated seat.[4]

The divine Virtues are sometimes associated with a particular activity or function performed by the emperor—in the case of Liberalitas, the congiarium or giving of gifts by the emperor directly to individuals.[5] The enacting of the particular virtue was considered an epiphany of the goddess or miraculum: Liberalitas was thought to have manifested herself when Trajan distributed cash gifts to the populace during his formal arrival ceremony (adventus) in 99 AD.[6] Pliny names the quality of liberalitas in his Panegyric to Trajan.[7]

Liberalitas was theologically linked to Providentia, "providence", and Annona, the embodiment of the grain supply.[8]

References

  1. ^ J. Rufus Fears, "The Cult of Virtues and Roman Imperial Ideology," Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt II.17.2 (1981), p. 846.
  2. ^ Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 903.
  3. ^ Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 904.
  4. ^ Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 906.
  5. ^ Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 913.
  6. ^ Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," pp. 914–916.
  7. ^ Pliny, Panegyric 26–28; Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," pp. 916, 920.
  8. ^ Fears, "The Cult of Virtues," p. 922.

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